How to free up shaft on pool motor

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dm123

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Dec 13, 2017
29
Birmingham, AL
Hi all! It’s going to get down to 22 degrees tonight (and will be that low for the next 3 days), and my pool is not able to winterized. We usually just run the pump if it gets below freezing. However in November we went to turn on the pump and the motor just hummed and would not kick on. I called a pool company out who said they’d freed up the shaft on the motor and it was good to go. It was — we ran it that night and didn’t have an issue. I go to turn it on just just to test, and it’s doing the same thing again (hums but won’t turn on). How can I free up the shaft again? It’s Sunday, so all pool people will be closed, and I need it to run tonight before it gets to 22! Also I would love to know how to do it myself to save the $175 fee in case it keeps happening for whatever reason. The motor itself is only 2.5 years old.
Thanks!
 
The shaft doesn't usually seize up overnight. It usually takes many days to seize up.

I would replace the capacitor.

It's relatively easy to do.


To free the shaft, you can access it from the back but it's tricky to access.

You can remove the capacitor and get an 11mm or 7/16" wrench on the shaft to loosen it.

Alternatively, you can remove the bolts and pull back the drive assembly and spin the impeller clockwise to see if it's stuck.
 
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If you do replace the capacitor, make sure that you put the wires in the channel between the capacitor stands.

If you leave a wire outside the stands, it can get snagged by the centrifugal switch weights and ripped out.
 

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JamesW said:
Note: Turn off power at the breaker before doing the following.

If you remove the pump basket, you can reach in the hole leading to the impeller to feel if the impeller is stuck or free.
Click to expand...
Well, I guess it is stuck (nothing was moving), but I couldn’t get it unstuck with my hands or a screwdriver. I also couldn’t get a capacitor today (Sunday)— everything is closed.So I put 7 blankets (4 are moving blankets) over the pump / motor and I’m going to pray the p
1Sammy said:
I read this as the pump has been off sense November after a short run after it was "unstuck". Sounds to me as the bearings are gone ? IF the cap was gone the shaft will be still easy to turn, which can be done at the back of the motor.
Click to expand...

Basically we ran it the whole summer no issues at all. Closed sept 1 and got our first cold front in middle of November. Went to turn pump on and it hummed but wouldn’t kick on. Called pool company out later that week and they said the shaft was stuck, and they unstuck it, and it works now. It did. We ran it one more time toward end of November when it went below freezing. We haven’t had any below freezing temp until Sunday. I went to turn it on and it’s doing the same thing — hums but won’t kick on. I tried spinning the impeller with my hand from the basket side but couldn’t (wasn’t strong enough or it wouldn’t go). I’m about to go try to spin it again with some pliers or a wrench this time to help. Pool person did call back to say if that didn’t work, I’d have to take the motor casing off and spin the shaft from that way with a wrench. I’ve never done anything like that before, and I’m truly not sure what I’m doing / which part I need to take off / spin, but I’m hoping google or YouTube will help if can’t get it to spin through the basket side. It’s going to be 22 again tonight and tomorrow night too. Motor is only 2 years old.
 
JamesW said:
Maybe there's ice in the impeller?

If you remove the 4 bolts, you can pull back the drive assembly and spin the impeller clockwise to see if it moves.
Click to expand...
Are you talking about the four bolts on the back of it, behind the basket? I’m trying to figure out what cover / where I need to take off. There is a cover over the metal part at the end (cylinder looking) and then the part that it attaches to where the basket is
 
dm123 said:
Are you talking about the four bolts on the back of it, behind the basket? I’m trying to figure out what cover / where I need to take off. There is a cover over the metal part at the end (cylinder looking) and then the part that it attaches to where the basket is
Click to expand...
I see from the video where to take off to access the capacitor and shaft. I’m going to try to unstick the shaft first since that is what was wrong last time.
 
JamesW said:
Maybe there's ice in the impeller?

If you remove the 4 bolts, you can pull back the drive assembly and spin the impeller clockwise to see if it moves.
Click to expand...
Just an update. I had my dad come over and check the impeller from the basket first again — he couldn’t get it to move either even with a screwdriver. So we took the back cover off and tried to get the shaft to move with a 7/16” wrench. It wouldn’t budge. I’m not sure what to do at this point (my pool person’s wife is having surgery in the morning so couldn’t come out today or tomorrow). I put all of the blankets back over the unit and will pray again. It will get Down to 22 tonight, up to 50 tomorrow, Then back down to 22 again tomorrow night. After that, all will be above freezing for at least a week or so.
 
If you remove the 4 bolts, you can pull back the drive assembly and spin the impeller.

If necessary, you can remove all of the drain plugs on everything to prevent freezing.
 
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